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The Sarasota Little League kicked off its season with a vibrant opening ceremony on Thursday evening in Sarasota, Florida. The event proudly showcased 498 young athletes across numerous teams, spanning various age groups.
Highlighting the evening was a special first pitch thrown by 6-time MLB All-Star, Bobby Bonilla, followed by a series of baseball games that set the tone for the season ahead.
“It stirs up a lot of nostalgia,” Bonilla reminisced. “This was such an exhilarating period for me back in the 70s as a kid. I also had the joy of watching my two children go through the Twin Lakes and Sarasota Little League systems. It’s been an incredible experience,” he reflected.
However, the league faced a setback last fall when its treasurer, Ahnaysa Turner, was apprehended on charges of felony grand theft. Accusations by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office claim she misappropriated over $200,000 from the league’s funds.
This financial controversy has cast a shadow over the league’s operations, as Turner faces serious allegations of grand theft exceeding $100,000.
Turner is believed to have taken the money over a multi-year period, including ATM cash withdrawals and Amazon purchases, according to a criminal affidavit filed by local law enforcement.
“It was a lot of unknowns. We didn’t know if any of the sponsors would come back, we didn’t know if the players and the families would want to come back,” said Alexis Meininghaus, the President of the Sarasota Little League.
Since the incident, the League’s President tells 8 on Your Side that a new treasurer has been hired, and numerous accountants and other “checks and balances” have been implemented to protect families donations and dues.
The league is expected to go the full season without any changes to previous years of baseball.